Constitution Day in Anguilla
In Anguilla, the Friday after the first Monday in August is Constitution Day. This holiday commemorates the country’s adoption of its constitution. As important as this day is, it also marks the end of the August Carnival. The Anguilla Summer Festival is a 10-day event that starts on Emancipation Day and ends on Constitution Day.
During this period, there are parades, boat races, a Miss Anguilla Pageant, and bathing suit competitions. There is also plenty of food and drink available. Constitution Day is a public holiday, so government offices, businesses, and schools are closed.
The History of Constitution Day in Anguilla
Anguilla was first colonized by British settlers during the mid-17th century and has remained a British territory. On April 1, 1982, Anguilla’s constitution was adopted, and since then, it has been revised several times, most notably in 1990 and again in 2019. Anguilla is the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles and is a self-governing British territory.
Observing Constitution Day in Anguilla
Constitution Day festivities are incorporated into the Anguilla Summer Festival, making it difficult to distinguish where one holiday’s events end and the other’s begin. This day is a public holiday, allowing people, including tourists, to enjoy the carnival’s activities.
What activities are available on this day? There is a Miss Anguilla Pageant, parades, children’s parades, and a festival-style atmosphere. People dress in bright, vibrant clothing, and music fills the air. There are also boat races and plenty of delicious food and drink to enjoy, including jerk-style meats, BBQ meat, fritters, dumplings, and seafood. It’s a day of fun in the sun.